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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25077163">Love to Ease: Rebels</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse'>voleuse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love to Ease [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:22:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25077163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five what-ifs for Rey and Ben.<br/>3. What if killing Snoke had been enough for Kylo?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chewbacca &amp; Ben Solo, Leia Organa &amp; Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Love to Ease [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1813729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love to Ease: Rebels</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>All AUs. Playing fast and loose with cause and effect.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <strong>What if killing Snoke had been enough for Kylo?</strong>
  </p>
  <p>Feels like something<br/>
That I've done before<br/>
I could fake it<br/>
But I still want more</p>
</div>"It's time to let old things die." Kylo wasn't sure if he's talking to Rey, or to himself. He didn't know a lot, he was realizing.<p>"Ben," Rey said, and he started to make out what she was saying. "The fleet! We can still save them."</p><p>He stared at the remnants of Snoke, and felt himself empty. Empty of years, empty of purpose.</p><p>"Ben!" And she was standing beside him, her hands frantic against his arms. "Please."</p><p>He looked at Rey, and even as she touched him, her eyes were fearful. He looked once more at Snoke, then closed his eyes and nodded. "Okay."</p><p>When he opened his eyes, Rey was already sliding her arms around his neck, and her fear had turned to triumph.</p><p>He smiled. "Kiss me after we save the fleet."</p><p>She raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you think I was going to do?"</p><p>"I know exactly what you were thinking," he said.</p><p>"And I know exactly what you were thinking, too." Rey darted a look at his lips before looking back over her shoulder. "They <em>will</em> follow your orders?"</p><p>He snorted as he disentangled himself from Rey, then stepped up the dais, paying no mind to the body before it. "Hux hates me, but he'll do it." He opened the channel and looked at Rey. </p><p>He gave the order.</p><p>They ran.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Kylo spent time triple-checking the hatch was sealed in order to delay the inevitable.<p>A weight fell on his shoulder, and he turned to Chewbacca, not quite able to look him in the eye. Rey's voice floated past them. "I'll be in the cockpit if you need me."</p><p>Kylo took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. For everything."</p><p>Chewie patted his shoulder. He was sorry, too, about shooting him.</p><p>"Nothing I didn't deserve," he said, and finally faced Chewie. Kylo blinked rapidly, trying to keep his eyes clear. </p><p>Chewie's eyes were the ones he remembered, filled with exasperation, and worry, and love. He told Kylo he was glad they were together, now.</p><p>Kylo shook his head. "How can you ever--"</p><p>No, Chewie told him. We have work to do. Come on. The two of them joined Rey in the cockpit, Chewie sliding into his seat to program their descent into the atmosphere. Kylo stood behind Rey. A small creature hopped onto his shoulder and mewled. "What." Kylo tried to nudge it away, but it clung to his tunic with its little talons. "What the hell?"</p><p>Chewie reached back and casually lifted the creature, tossed it back. They were hardier than they looked, he explained. He'd given up on eating one. Kylo laughed, and Chewie did, and the Falcon started to feel like home again.</p><p>"There," Rey called out. "Where those boulders are." A stream of crystal-like creatures were scattering out from a small opening that was about where the mine might close off. The gulley around it was littered with stones.</p><p>"Bet I can lift more rocks than you," he said to Rey.</p><p>She glanced at him, her smile all challenge. "You can kiss me after I beat you."</p><p>As the Falcon descended, Chewie told them to focus, and also not to kiss while they were in the cockpit, try to act like professionals for his sake, at least.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The journey to Ajan Kloss was an awkward one. Kylo was hesitant as he greeted his mother. She hugged him briefly, but read his mood right. "It can wait," she murmured, and moved on to check on the wounded rebels. Kylo spent as much time as he could in the cockpit with Chewie after that; one of Rey's rebel friends came up and told them what had happened in the mine when the First Order attacked.<p>By the time they arrived at the planet's rebel depot--nestled in the shade of a rainforest--Rey and Leia had convinced the others not to immediately put Kylo on trial. The condition, of course, was that he answer every question they had about the First Order, and tell them every other bit they didn't know to ask.</p><p>It took...a while. The company seemed somewhat disheartened due to the lack of allies at the battle, but two rebels--Kylo was sure one was formerly from his troops--enumerated the things they had heard or observed on some covert mission. The lack of commitment from their possible allies was about the odds, not the will to support them.</p><p>"And Luke will come to us when he can," Leia said. "Knowing the Jedi have returned will do some good."</p><p>"How do you know?" asked another one of the rebels. "None of the rest of us saw him down there."</p><p>Leia raised her eyebrows. </p><p>"The Force," the rebel said. "Right." The discussion continued on to re-routing supplies to the new outpost.</p><p>Kylo supposed he would have to learn all their names eventually. "Mother," he said, as attention moved away from them, "how was he able to speak to you from so far away? The effort should have killed him."</p><p>"With anyone else, yes." She smiled. "But he's my twin, Ben. We've always been connected."</p><p>Kylo felt Rey brush her hand against his. "Like our connection," she murmured.</p><p>He started to reply, then noticed his mother looking at them, bemused. He realized he and Rey were holding hands.</p><p>"Sounds like you have a story to tell me," Leia said.</p><p>Kylo had never seen Rey blush before. He chuckled, and she squeezed his hand tighter.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>After the briefing concluded, Rey broke off to catch up with her friends, and the rest of the rebels went to do whatever rebels did in their free time.<p>Kylo retreated from the command center and found a cool corner to sit. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his mother was standing before him.</p><p>"Ben," she said. "Our Ben." She cradled his face in her hands, and he leaned against her as he cried.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title and epigraphs adapted from Massive Attack's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABQjT6gDKu0"><strong>Dissolved Girl</strong></a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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